There are a few key phrases that constantly pop up in the world of studio music teaching: “How do you…?”, “What do you use for…?”, and “What would you recommend for…?” Sound familiar? These questions are some of my favorite things to dive into—they’re definitely one of my “hot spots.”
With Amazon Prime Days coming up on October 7–8, 2025, and Black Friday not far behind, I figured now is the perfect time to share my final “favorites” episode of the year. The other one I did was Episode 157: 5 Easter Favorites for Teachers.
This is episode 168 of The Piano Pantry Podcast. I’m our host, Amy Chaplin. Let’s dive in.
What I want to share with you today isn’t just a list of favorites—it’s a resource.
Specifically, one of the largest curated collections of piano teacher favorites on the web available on the Piano Pantry blog.
I’ve had a landing page dedicated to teacher favorites for several years, but recently gave it a major update. I cleaned up outdated recommendations, added new items, categories, and descriptions to every item. Not only that, but I completely redesigned the page to make it easier for a more aesthetically pleasing to browse . This is the place to go to find solutions that actually work—because that’s what we do around here, right? We find practical and sustainable rhythms for your teacher life.
New categories include:
Assignments & Practice, Prize Box, Tech, and Podcast.
You’ll also find long-standing categories like:
Books, Kitchen, Office, Personal, Business Management, and Studio Organization.
A few categories are still in progress, but there’s already plenty to explore. I hope it becomes a go-to resource you’ll return to again and again.
Today I thought I would feature a handful of items—at least one from each category that I don’t think I’ve mentioned before.
We’ll start with the teaching category: stamps. That is, stamps for marking pieces that your student has either worked on or mastered.
I currently use four different stamps—each with its own color and design: a green check mark, a red star, a purple thumbs up, and a blue heart. A few years ago, my friend Christina Whitlock inspired me to switch from traditional stickers to stamps in piano lessons. They take up less space, require less time and decision-making, and students love them. I keep them in a small, open acrylic container on the piano so students can grab them easily.
Next is cover-up tape.
While we don’t need it often, it’s incredibly handy when the moment calls for it. I use the Post-it brand, which comes in a 3/4-inch width (though other sizes are available). It’s perfect for covering up distracting text on a page or hiding sections of music students aren’t working on yet. The matte finish also makes it easy to write on when needed.
In the Assignments & Practice category:
I’m currently trying out a new planner with all my intermediate students—Joy Morin’s Musician’s Practice Planner. It’s a beautifully designed, spiral-bound book, roughly 5×8 inches, and comes in three lovely colors. I appreciate its clean, simple layout.
Right now, my students are still adjusting to the routine. They’re writing in their notes and lesson assignments, but only about half are consistently logging their practice—which just means placing a simple checkmark next to each item they worked on. Time will tell how it sticks, but I’m hopeful! All the items I’m mentioning to you can find at PIanoPantry.com/favorites including things like Joys’ Musician’s Practice Planner.
In the Books category:
The Music of Teaching: Learning to Trust Students’ Natural Development by Barbara Kreader Skalinder. I am a champion for anything that encourages trusting students’ natural development. Blending research with stories, she shows how teachers can shift from authority to collaboration, fostering autonomy and responsive, individualized learning. There are so many good on teaching out there and this is just one that I’ve read recently and really enjoyed.
In the Kitchen category:
I’m sharing a small but mighty favorite here: a 2-tablespoon stainless steel coffee scoop. The larger size means less scooping, and the short, wide handle makes it easier to reach into a coffee bag than a regular spoon or even a standard measuring spoon. The size is etched into the metal—no paint to scratch off. At just $7, it’s a simple convenience that makes your teaching mornings a little more pleasant. Remember, it’s the little things in life. LOL.
The second item in the kitchen category is a canister we use to store our coffee beans in. It’s called a “grain” container from Progressive International, part of their ProKeeper line. Now, I originally bought a whole set of these canisters, which did not include these grain containers. I purchased them in a set of two. These containers feature an attached flip-top lid, a comfortable shape for carrying, and a secure snap seal. The grain version also includes a plastic scoop—perfect for transferring whole beans from the canister to your grinder.
In the Office category:
I’m super excited to share this item—it’s an office chair! Specifically, the Realspace Modern Comfort Low-Back Office Chair. It’s a low-profile, fabric chair that’s both beautiful and comfortable. I bought it during the holiday sales last year at Office Depot for a steal, and I was absolutely ecstatic. Most office chairs are kind of boring and not aesthetically pleasing—not this one.
For years, I used piano benches next to the piano during lessons because I couldn’t find a suitable chair for that space. I tried my regular office chair, but it just didn’t feel right. This one, though? Perfect. The low-back version sits more upright and feels supportive without being bulky. There’s also a beautiful high-back version in the same line if that’s more your style, but I found the low-back model more comfortable—it doesn’t lean back as much and fits better in my teaching setup.
I stand a lot when I’m teaching, too, but not all the time. I love this chair so much I’m tempted to buy another one and stash it in my attic so when this one wears out, I know I’ll have another just in case it gets discontinued. Yes, it’s THAT GOOD! I’ve been dying to share this one with you, and I’m so glad I finally get to!
In the Tech Category:
This item is one that I shared with my Patreon friends last year and now you get to hear about it. It’s a hardback electronics travel case. It’s so handy to keep a case like this on hand for when I’m travelling to present, attend conferences, or any other kind of travel, really. The hard case keeps it from getting out of shape, and the space is ample enough for everything you could need.
Speaking of Patreon,
A quick shout-out to Patreon member Debbie Woodkie Lagomarsino for cheering on this work over on Patreon. For Patreon insiders, tomorrow, October 1, 2025, will be our 6th monthly teacher chat on applications for audiation-based teaching in everyday methods. We just started walking through Piano Safari Repertoire 1 last month. It’s a big book, as you may know, so we will probably be in it for the next couple of months. Join in on the fun at PianoPantry.com/patreon.
OK, back to our list of piano teacher favorites.
Under Business Management:
While I use Notion to organize about 90% of my life, when it comes to straightforward task lists—like dropping off packages, printing studio calendars, or looking up a song arrangement for a student—I turn to the Todoist app.
Todoist lets you organize tasks into projects (or life areas), set reminders, make tasks recurring, and more. If you’re someone who shies away from digital organization or doesn’t need a full productivity system like Notion, I’d encourage you to give Todoist a try. It’s perfect for everyday to-do lists and, like Notion, can be used as simply or as fully as you want.
In the Personal Life Products category:
I mentioned this in a recent Friday Finds, but I’ve been on a bit of a Method brand kick lately. Most specifically, their Antibac Bamboo-scented spray —it smells amazing. It’s incredibly fresh and light, and has quickly become one of my favorite everyday cleaning products. You can find it in a 4-pack on Amazon if you want to stock up. If you’re into fresh, clean scents, this one’s definitely worth trying.
In the Studio Organization category:
This is an item I’ve mentioned before—mDesign White Plastic Magazine Holders—and I’m bringing it up again because it really is that good. These make amazing storage solutions. Unlike most magazine holders made of cardboard, these are thick, sturdy plastic, which makes them more durable—but also a bit more expensive.
This is one of those products I recommend putting in your Amazon cart and letting it sit until a sale day like Prime Day or Black Friday rolls around. That’s how I’ve approached most of my purchases over the years.
Speaking of studio organization…
If you could use more practical and sustainable practices for organizing your digital life , I invite you to join the Fall session of
Organize Your Digital Life: A Refresh for Your Digital Workspace
This 2-month coaching series will meet weekly—Tuesdays, 1:00–2:30 PM Eastern, starting October 21. Each session blends learning with real-time implementation, so you leave feeling more confident and in control.
Register by October 15 at pianopantry.com/digital
Use code DIGITAL20 to get $20 off before October 1.
Spots are limited, and we need a minimum number to run the class, so don’t wait!
Also, I’ve decided that this will be the last time I will run the course until at least this time next year—meaning there will not be a summer session available in 2026. The retreat will happen in 2026, just not the online version. I’ve been running at least 2 of the online sessions for the last 3 years, but this year, this fall session will be the only time it’s offered.
If you’ve been holding out, now is the time to join. PianoPantry.com/digital
And a quick note on mindset:
While I’ve shared a lot of fun and helpful products today, I also want to encourage you to approach purchases with a healthy mindset. I know it can seem like I buy a lot because I’m always recommending things, but many of these items are things I’ve discovered slowly—over years and years.
One of the best things I’ve done for myself financially is to not be in a hurry. Most things go into my cart and stay there for a while. That pause helps me make better decisions—and honestly, I can’t tell you how many things I’ve added to my cart and never actually bought. Giving yourself time is a simple but powerful habit.
That, my friends, is what I really hope will resonate with you the most today. Whether or not you purchase any of these items now or in the future, I hope we will always practice thoughtful consumerism. It’s so easy in todays world to just hit that buy button and have it in a snap.
Using my cart as a barrier to slow down purchasing has proven to be a practical and sustainable practice—one I hope you’ll consider trying.
All of the items I’ve mentioned today are available at PianoPantry.com/favorites. I hope you take a moment to jump in and check out these fresh, beautiful, newly designed resource full of Piano Teacher Favorites. While you can browse via any device, you’ll get the best experience from your desktop rather than mobile. That’s PianoPantry.com/favorites.
Thanks for being here, if you haven’t yet, please take a moment to rate and review this podcast so others can find it as well. Also, hit that subscribe or follow button so new episodes download automatically.
Next week I’ll be bringing you a conversation episode with Liz Boyd, the daughter of the late Susan Paradis. It will be a joyful time of reflection as we remember all Susan brought to piano teacher world and look ahead to how her daughter is continuing that legacy.
See you then!
